A few months ago, LSU welcomed an unusual recruit in Nau’Jour Grainger, popularly known as Toosi, a rapper. Unfortunately, his dream of playing as a wide receiver for the Tigers was short-lived. LSU head coach Lane Kiffin recently revealed that his contract with a gambling company prevented him from continuing his college career. However, former Heisman winner Cam Newton is not convinced by that story.

“No, I’m not,” Newton said on his 4th&1 With Cam Newton show when asked if he bought Lane Kiffin’s claims about Toosi leaving due to a gambling deal. “We have yet to see clips of him playing 11 on 11. We’ve seen one-on-one training. But bro, this is Death Valley we’re talking about… I have sources in LSU. And they have said Toosi is not the best five receivers on that roster. That Toosi experience was short-lived because, not only can you play, it’s can you help the team? No, he could not help LSU. We’re talking about five-star blue chippers, brother.”

“Respectfully, Toosi realized that your stage name is not going to impact your reps,” Newton said.

In August 2025, Toosi announced on social media that he would suspend his multi-platinum music career to play college football. And his historical goal with this move was to become the “first multi-platinum recording artist to go back to school and play Division I football.” Before this announcement, his only prior experience was at Raleigh High School, where he was a wide receiver and kick returner over a decade ago.

That dream of playing college football got its first start for Toosi in December 2025 when he committed to Syracuse. Things didn’t work out with the Orange, and he subsequently moved to LSU in March 2026. However, a few days ago, he also left the Tigers.

On June 17, in an interview on the In the Bayou with Tyrann Mathieu podcast, Lane Kiffin talked about Toosi’s unrealized CFB dream. While praising the rapper, he also talked about why the rapper and the program had to part ways.

“I think he just had to balance everything. And then, there’s little limitations too on what he can make and do. I think he signed with one of the gambling company thing, where you do commercials and stuff, and that shouldn’t work with the NCAA, you know? So, he went back to his professional career.”

Cam Newton was one of the first CFB legends to bring Toosi’s name into the headlines after his switch from music to football. And based on the clips he saw at the time, his reactions revealed that Toosi was, at best, an average player. Rather than concentrate on football, he advised him to focus on his education.

Cam Newton’s advice to Toosi

Even though Newton had not received information from his LSU sources about Toosi’s talent, he had advised him to focus more on his education and less on football. His advice was more personal, as he himself had trodden that path and witnessed the benefits.

“The better business decision would have been for him to get a degree,” Newton added. “Get a degree in business management, get a degree in trying to be able to represent yourself to maximize your music career, bro. You’re more than a football player. Listen, I went to school as a football player. It didn’t take me until I had to graduate with the help of my offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Mike Shula. He said, ‘Listen, while you can, go back and get your degree. I went back to Auburn to get my degree in sociology.”

Newton credited his sociology degree as a factor that changed his outlook on life. With a business degree, Newton believes Toosi’s approach to his music career will be reshaped. However, Toosi is entirely moving away from college life. He is now fully focused on his music career.